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INAUGURAL 
ADDRESS 

OF  REV.  JOHN  A.  W.  HAAS,  D.D. 

PRESIDENT  OF  MUHLENBERG  COLLEGE 


^ 


ALLENTOWN,  PENNSYLVANIA 
JUNE  22.  1904 

Published  by  the  Board  of  Trustees 


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INAUGURAL, 


Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemeyi  : 

In  accepting  the  keys  of  Muhlenberg  College  and 
assuming  the  responsibilities  and  duties  of  its  headship  I 
can  not  do  otherwise  than,  for  a  moment,  look  back  upon 
those  who  have  preceded.  From  the  first  president,  whose 
choice  Greek  scholarship  and  whose  kindly  and  affectionate 
Christian  character  make  him  still  to  be  remembered,  through 
the  prudent  direction  of  Muhlenberg's  second  president,  to 
the  work  of  the  lamented,  last  president,  who  impressed 
himself  by  his  careful  knowledge  no  less  than  by  his  well- 
poised  character  and  Christian,  refined  gentlemanliness  upon 
all  who  knew  him,  there  has  been  growth  and  progress  amid 
much  sacrifice.  Quietly  with  the  continued  co-operation  of 
a  harmonious  Faculty  and  Board  Muhlenberg  College  has 
been  forging  ahead. 

But  now  in  the  greater  change  of  surroundings  and 
equipment,  in  the  larger  demands  of  the  present,  in  the 
growth  of  greater  ideals  in  the  Church,  there  is  a  call,  not 
unjustified,  for  more  marked  progress  and  change.  Such  a 
call,  however,  needs  to  be  taken  up  not  as  a  quick  inspira- 
tion, which  shall  work  revolutiofi,  but  which  shall  rather 
further  evolution.  A  most  careful  and  considered  examina- 
tion must  be  made  of  the  whole  place,  sphere  and  purpose 
of  Muhlenberg  College,  with  the  general  as  well  as  special 
educational  needs  in  view,  with  regard  to  Muhlenberg 
College  as  a  college  and  as  an  institution  serving  the  interest 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  the  Ministerium  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  particular.  If  we  have  such  a  clear  conception, 
just  to  all  sides,  before  us,  we  can  then  add  all  the  enthusi- 
asm and  energy  to  the  deliberate,  balanced  judgment  of 
sound  pedagogic  wisdom. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten,  from  the  first,  that  Muhlen- 


Two  Inaugural 

berg  College,  has  like  all  colleges,  a  local  character.  There 
is  a  value  in  this.  It  forms  the  special  individuality  of  a 
college  and  corresponds  in  a  corporate  way  to  the  rights  and 
necessity  of  single  individuality.  Muhlenberg  College  has 
grown  upon  a  certain  soil  and  has  taken  up  of  its  elements. 
To  deny  and  rudely  disturb  this  local  character  would  be  as 
wrong  as  it  would  prove  injurious.  It  is  the  local  character 
which  gives  a  college  truer  grasp  and  influence  upon  men, 
than  a  universal  institution,  growing  out  of  ideals  so  broad 
and  abstract  that  they  fail  to  touch  the  reality  of  life  in  their 
own  surroundings,  can  ever  exercise. 

But  with  all  due  consideration  for  the  rightness  of  local 
character  there  must  be  combined  the  understanding  of  its 
dangers.  As  the  marked  individuality  of  a  person  can 
degenerate  into  idiosyncrasies,  and  the  assertion  of  self  can 
become  untrue  and  narrow,  so  the  emphasis  upon  local  con- 
ditions, demands,  rights  can  be,  and  has,  in  colleges,  often 
been  overstated.  No  matter  what  the  soil  may  be,  the  rose 
finally  is  a  rose  ;  there  is  something  generic  about  it.  So  in 
all  true  life  to  its  highest  organic,  personal  and  social  form, 
the  special  dare  not  obliterate  the  general. 

With  the  local  the  historic  is  naturally  connected.  We 
dare  not  overlook  the  fact,  that  Muhlenberg  College,  taking 
some  of  its  ideals  from  Pennsylvania  College,  is  a  continua- 
tion of  the  educational  life  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  as 
organized  in  Pennsylvania  College.  But  Muhlenberg 
College  is  more.  It  is  that  continued  life  developed  under 
the  differentiated  surroundings  of  the  Pennsylvania  Ministe- 
rium.  This  venerable  Ministerium  has  given  it  character, 
and  in  return  has  been  determined  by  it  more  largely  than  is 
often  realized.  Now  such  true  historic  connection  and 
interdependence  must  be  so  conserved  that  the  mutual 
interests  of  the  Ministerium  and  College  are  best  served. 
The  College  dare  never  be  independent  of  the  Ministerium's 
life,  but  it  ought  to  be  free  from  its  politics.  The  Ministe- 
rium ought  never  forget  its  child,  but  it  ought  not  so  domi- 
nate it  that  the  real  freedom  and  highest  development  of  the 
child  is  dwarfed. 


Inaugural  Three 

True  development  demands  that,  without  exchiding  the 
special  historic  place,  the  greater  cause  of  the  whole  Church 
shall  be  kept  in  view.  As  the  Pennsylvania  Ministerium  is 
not  the  only  member  of  the  body  of  the  Lutheran  Church 
in  America,  as  it  is  not  an  end  in  itself,  but  only,  with  all 
its  history  and  power,  a  means  for  serving  the  whole  Church 
and  the  Kingdom  of  God,  so  the  College,  which  the  Minis- 
terium calls  its  own,  must  be  made  the  expression  and 
inspirer  of  the  wider  outlook  upon  the  large  interests  of 
God's  Kingdom. 

To  accomplish  this  wider  purpose  Muhlenberg  College 
must  be  made  representative.  What  Philadelphia  in  its 
Seminary  has  become  to  the  Eastern  Church  in  influencing 
its  theological  ideals  and  conceptions,  that,  in  the  sphere  of 
collegiate  education  for  our  Church,  Muhlenberg  College 
ought  to  become,  interpreting  the  best  modern  pedagogic 
thought  and  practice  in  a  most  harmonious  Christian,  and 
consequently  Lutheran,  sense  for  the  benefit  of  its  young 
men  and  the  inspiration  of  Lutheran  sister-institutions. 
But  such  interpretation  must  be  made  not  with  the  over- 
balancing accent  upon  the  interpretation,  but  with  regard  to 
the  broad  purpose  of  the  best  collegiate  education.  In  this 
manner  the  right  and  place  of  Muhlenberg  College  will  be 
increasingly  justified  not  only  in  the  Church,  but  also  in  the 
educational  life  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  larger  educa- 
tional work  of  our  land. 

Preliminary  to  the  special'  sphere  of  the  College  and 
very  important  for  the  readier  development  of  its  ideals  is 
the  Academy.  Muhlenberg  College  is  historically  linked  to 
its  Academy.  And  this  historic  bond,  if  ever  of  worth,  is 
now  most  valuable.  For  the  onward  and  forward  march 
will  make  it  imperative  that  some  of  the  College's  first  year 
work  shall  be  thrown  back  into  the  Academy,  as  soon  as  this 
is  firmly  reorganized  and  expanded.  To  foster  the  College 
implies  for  the  present  the  development  of  the  Academy.  It 
must  receive  the  best  thought  and  equipment.  When  this 
is  being  accomplished  then  will  Muhlenberg's  growth  be 
accelerated.      Muhlenberg  can  then  be  less  and  less  of  that 


Four  Inaugural 

mixture  of  high  school  and  real  college  which  marks  so 
many  of  our  smaller  institutions.  It  will  take  its  place  fully 
among  the  best  colleges  in  actual  work  and  demands.  It 
can  require  the  Academy  to  slough  off  some  of  the  natural 
and  local  obstructions  that  now  hinder  the  College. 

But  not  merely  for  this  reason  must  we  emphasize  the 
development  of  the  Academy.  Its  growth  should  stimulate 
other  centers  of  our  Church,  when  the  first  necessary 
demands  here  are  met,  to  found  similar  academies  to  feed  the 
College.  These  academies  should  be  broad  enough  to 
satisfy  any  students  preparing  for  any  college,  while  their 
object  should  mainly  be  to  upbuild  Muhlenberg  College. 

But  though  the  academies  in  general,  and  our  Academy 
particularly,  are  important  for  the  solution  of  the  question  of 
the  advancement  of  Muhlenberg  College,  yet  the  College 
dare  not  wait  for  the  Academy's  success,  nor  finally  rest  its 
progress  upon  the  Academy,  nor  excuse  its  lack  of  advance 
by  the  Academy's  defects.  And,  therefore,  while  at  the 
present  the  Academy  must  be  emphasized,  yet  in  the  work 
of  the  College  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  efficiency  of  both 
Academy  and  College  that  the  separation  be  clearly  made. 
Not  only  the  demands  of  teaching,  but  also  the  intellectual 
and  social  life  of  the  student  body  make  such  separate 
existence  necessary. 

Our  central  question,  however,  is  to  see  clearly  and 
determine  fairly  the  province  of  the  College.  Determina- 
tion includes  right  limitation.  Definite  limitation  of  the 
work  is  the  first  necessity,  for  in  true  limitation  mastership 
consists. 

The  present  danger  of  the  small  college  is  its  desire  to 
become  large  and  emulate  in  its  many  courses  and  electives 
the  great  colleges  and  universities.  In  this  endeavor  the 
small  college  has  often  not  yet  lost  the  elements  of  the  high 
school,  nor  has  it  fairly  begun  to  limit  itself  as  to  what  of 
preparatory  character  must  be  excluded.  But  of  greater 
necessity  is  the  question  of  undue  expansion  upward.  Ex- 
clusion must  be  strongly  exercised  if  the  fable  of  the  inflated 
frog  is  not  to  become  reality.     It   is  idle  folly    under    the 


Ifiaitgnra/  I'ive 

college  name,  or  with  the  deceptive  assumption  of  the  name 
of  university,  to  presume  to  do  what  can  not  be  done. 

There  is  a  large  place  for  the  real  college.  It  can  fill 
the  gap  between  the  preparatory  school  and  the  higher 
elective  work  of  the  university  with  its  professional  and 
technical  courses.  It  is  admitted  by  the  leading  educators 
that  the  high  school  is  not  sufficient  for  the  best  education 
of  men  who  would  succeed  most  truly  in  their  professions. 
Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  can  the  college  attached  to  the  great 
university  most  effectively  bridge  over  from  high  school  to 
technical  work.  The  many  electives  and  the  early  begin- 
ning of  electives  presuppose  a  ripeness  in  the  student  and  a 
care  in  the  choice  of  subjects  which  he  does  not  possess. 
Even  when  advice  is  given  and  courses  are  judiciously  com- 
bined this  difficulty  is  not  really  obviated.  In  addition,  the 
student  in  the  great  colleges  may  pass  through  and  specialize 
so  soon  that  he  will  lack  the  full  knowledge  of  wider  truth. 
It  is  possible  for  men  to  know  merely  an  outline  of  logic  in 
the  great  philosophical  department,  and  yet  be  called 
liberally  educated.  Without  a  grasp  upon  history,  with  no 
balanced  thought  on  moral  problems,  many  graduate  from 
the  great  institutions  and  receive  the  acknowledgement  of 
liberal  culture.  The  college  in  the  real  sense  with  a  certain 
prescribed  course  that  looks  to  general  liberal  culture,  can 
develop  the  broadest  men  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  best 
specialists.  , 

It  is  a  strange  contradiction  when  modern  education 
grants  such  liberty  to  individualism  that  it  almost  denies 
anything  fixed  but  the  will  of  the  individual,  and  yet  claims 
the  need  of  the  social  organism.  The  larger  recognition  of 
the  common  human  life  opposes  the  overbalanced  emphasis 
of  the  individual.  True  education  considers  both  the  in- 
dividual and  the  social  body.  It  takes  the  individual  into 
the  great  common  life  and  prepares  him  not  as  he  thinks, 
but  as  life  and  civilization  demand.  And  this  is  done  by 
developing  every  side,  by  strengthening  the  weaker  faculties 
and  in  not  supressing  the  stronger  ones.  But,  finally,  such 
education  looks  to  the  excellence  of  the  man  himself.     It 


Six  Inaugural 

uses  knowledge  not  as  an  end  but  as  means.  The  intel- 
lectual foundations  well  and  broadly  laid,  the  aesthetic 
sensibilities  carefully  and  soundly  adjusted,  the  intrinsic 
moral  character  strongly  and  harmoniously  developed,  the 
religious  longing  truly  chastened,  sound,  honest — all  this 
marks  a  cultured,  liberal  man. 

In  the  preparations  for  such  general  culture  lies  the 
work  of  the  college.  But  to  effect  this  aim  the  college 
must  work  thoroughly.  Thoroughness  does  not  mean  ex- 
haustiveness ;  but  it  does  imply  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
great  principles.  Men  must  be  so  educated  that  they  know 
the  large  outlines  of  knowledge,  the  great  sources  and  laws 
of  truth,  while  they  are  so  humble  that  they  recognize  their 
ignorance  to  stimulate  them  ever  anew  to  the  wider  truth 
and  growing  culture  which  life  opens  to  them.  Such 
stimulus  must  move  the  students,  especially  when  they  are 
preparing  for  their  particular  work  and  equipping  them- 
selves most  fully  for  their  individual  vocation.  This  is  the 
ideal  of  what  a  college  must  seek  to  accomplish  ;  and  we 
can  best  sum  up  what  a  college  should  be  in  the  words  of 
Professor  Chamberlain  of  Bowdoin  College.  It  should  be 
"  a  school  of  complete  manhood,  taking  cognizance  not  only 
of  what  makes  for  good  in  the  world,  but  regarding  also  the 
culture  of  the  moral  and  spiritual  powers  which  are  the 
noblest  endowments  of  personality." 

With  this  ideal  before  us  it  becomes  necessary  to  define 
our  special  work  in  Muhlenberg  College  having  regard  to 
our  time  and  needs.  We  take  over  from  ancient  and 
mediaeval  culture  the  study  of  mathematics  with  its  exact- 
ness of  reasoning  and  its  impulse  to  careful  deduction.  The 
need  of  Latin  to  gain  insight  into  Roman  life  to  have  the 
means  of  appreciating  the  power  and  influence  of  the  city 
of  the  Seven  Hills  upon  the  law  and  the  language  of  the 
modern  world  can  also  not  be  gainsayed. 

But  the  language  which  was  of  later  advent  in  mediaeval 
culture,  the  Greek,  has  in  these  later  days  been  under  much 
adverse  criticism  as  to  its  value  and  interest.  Men  have 
forgotten   that   even   to  put   the  beginnings  of  it  into  the 


hiauii  u  ral  Seven 

power  of  a  mind  is  of  great  worth  in  enabling  a  man  to 
estimate  the  formative  power  of  Greek  thought  and  models 
upon  modern  civilization.  Greek  thought  and  Greek  spirit 
are  best  found  through  the  medium  of  the  Greek  tongue. 
Nevertheless  even  this  study  must  be  supplemented  by  read- 
ing in  English  to  gain  the  wider  understanding  of  what 
Hellas  was  and  is  for  the  world.  Greek  gives  the  possibility 
of  weighing  the  original  sources  of  Christianity,  of  gaining 
a  glimpse  of  the  early  dogmatic  formulation  of  Christian 
truth  in  Greek  moulds.  This  knowledge  is  very  necessary 
in  these  days  for  the  intelligent  man  of  culture  if  he  is  not 
to  be  carried  away  by  much  half- true  speculation. 

But  while  we  begin  with  these  elements  of  early  culture, 
yet  it  is  to  be  recognized  that  not  in  them  alone  will  true 
education  find  its  full  effectiveness.  Besides  the  two  ancient 
languages  we  place  the  modern  tongues. 

The  education  for  a  scientific  career,  though  it  should  not 
be  totally  ignorant  of  Greek  ideals,  will  derive  much  advan- 
tage from  the  knowledge  of  French.  The  esprit  and  vivid- 
ness of  this  tongue,  with  the  understanding  which  it  grants 
of  the  life  of  a  Romance  people,  can  not  be  neglected  by  any 
educated  man.  It  is  true  that  the  importance  of  the  French 
people  has  waned,  but  still  there  is  no  excuse  for  the 
neglect  of  French  thought  and  language,  so  valuable  in 
itself  and  so  helpful  as  an  introduction  to  the  better  know- 
ledge of  the  Romance  nations,  whiph  are  now  adding  millions 
to  our  American  population. 

The  modern  language  which,  however,  in  addition  to 
the  tongue  of  the  land,  is  most  necessary  is  the  German. 
Whether  you  desire  to  study  the  highest  development  of 
modern  philosophical  thought,  whether  you  seek  the  most 
wonderful  growth  of  a  modern  literature  in  the  i8th  and 
19th  centuries,  whether  you  long  for  the  deepest  lyric  needs 
of  the  soul  in  modern  garb,  whether  you  look  for  the  most 
minute  research  of  careful  scholarship  in  moral,  social  or 
natural  science,  in  linguistics  or  history,  in  medicine,  law  or 
theology,  you  must  go  to  the  German  language.  There  is 
not  an  educated  man  of  any  standing  or  influence  who  does 


Eight  Inaugural 

not  possess  some  hold  upon  strong  and  deep  German 
thought.  The  value  of  this  language,  moreover,  has  a 
special  importance  for  us  here.  We  are  where  long  a 
German  life,  as  expressed  in  a  dialect,  has  lived.  For  those 
who  come  out  of  this  derived,  modified  life,  it  is  well  that 
they  shall  see  the  greater  world  from  which  they  have  come. 
To  be  strong  they  should  know  the  rock  whence  they  were 
hewn  that,  in  casting  off  the  defects  of  dialect,  they  may 
not  underestimate  the  lasting  value  of  Teutonic  life  for  the 
culture  of  the  world.  Moreover  in  our  Church  even  of  the 
East  we  still  have  the  German  with  us  and  need  it  to  under- 
stand each  other.  Perhaps  the  growth  of  Muhlenberg 
College  and  its  claim  to  meet  the  wants  of  all  may  make  it 
necessary  to  consider  whether,  without  injuring  the  balance 
of  our  whole  work,  we  may  not  be  called  upon  to  aid  in  the 
problem  of  sound  transition  by  a  temporary  concession  to 
the  needs  and  claims  of  the  German-American  life.  We 
shall  not  seek  this,  but  we  may  be  called  upon  to  meet  it. 

To  these  elements  of  culture  and  knowledge,  modified 
by  our  conditions,  we  must  add  the  value  of  natural  science 
for  every  educated  man.  No  one  can  live  in  this  modern 
world  and  understand  its  trend  without  some  knowledge 
of  natural  science  and  its  way  of  reasoning.  But  in  pre- 
paring men  for  life  by  teaching  them  to  consider  the  funda- 
mental laws  of  the  physical,  chemical  and  biological  disci- 
plines, we  must  be  careful,  in  the  scientific  department,  not 
to  press  in  upon  technical  training.  There  are  certain 
studies  such  as  anatomy  and  histology,  which,  according  to 
the  best  judgment  of  medical  educators,  can  not  be  success- 
fully taught  in  a  college.  Such  and  similar  scientific 
studies,  wherever  they  are  attempted  in  a  college,  not  only 
take  away  from  the  broad  culture  which  the  scientific 
student  should  have,  but  also  add  to  the  expense  out  of  pro- 
portion to  the  general  advantage  for  all.  It  would  be  far 
better,  if,  as  seems  to  be  admitted,  that  many  men  preparing 
for  a  scientific  career  can  not  give  four  years  to  collegiate 
study,  to  grant  the  scientific  students  their  degree  upon  the 
completion  of  the  first  year's  work  in  a  technical  school,  and 


Inaugural  Nitir 

to  restrict  the  course  in  college  to  three  years.  Yet, 
perhaps,  it  would  be  possible  to  have  an  earlier  begining  of 
preparatory  study,  and  then  to  persuade  the  scientific 
student  to  take  the  full  four  years  course  for  the  final  advan- 
tage of  his  vocation  and  for  the  wider  outlook  which  will  be 
his.  No  temporary  question  of  expediency,  no  utilitarianism 
ought  to  move  colleges  to  attempt  what  they  can  not  do,  and 
to  enter  upon  any  study  which  needs  equipment  and  sur- 
roundings that  can  not  be  offered.  Such  work,  even  if  it 
does  save  students  a  year,  will  often  lead  them  to  second- 
class  technical  schools  instead  of  the  best.  Muhlenberg 
College  should  stimulate  its  graduates  to  take  their  post- 
graduate and  professional  work  in  the  best  and  highest 
institutions  of  the  land. 

The  modern  man,  if  he  would  understand  and  yet  not 
be  misled  by  natural  science,  can  not  be  without  the 
knowledge  of  history.  The  present  method  of  investiga- 
tion, the  underlying  attitude  in  the  arts  and  science  is  the 
historical.  The  search  after  origins  and  beginnings  is 
simply  the  historical  principle.  Kvolution  in  natural 
science  is  the  counterpart  of  historical  development  in 
mankind.  The  balanced  understanding  of  the  great  social 
problems,  the  grasp  upon  the  mighty  religious  questions  and 
discussions,  can  not  be  gained  without  historical  insight. 
The  college  upon  the  facts  of  history  is  to  lead  to  some 
knowledge  of  history's  course  and  philosophy.  It  should 
seek  to  develop  the  historic  sense,  which  will  help  students 
in  every  department  and  profession  to  meet  problems  by 
reference  to  past  experiences,  to  trace  and  portray  growth, 
to  measure  men  and  ages,  and  to  get  closer  to  the  reality  of 
characters  as  they  lived  and  moved  in  their  own  time.  The 
allowance  for  the  historical  setting  will  enable  men  to  look 
into  the  soul  of  character.  The  knowledge  of  the  past  will 
illumine  the  present  and  make  hopeful  for  the  future. 

The  most  important  department  in  present  College 
work,  and  the  one  discipline  which  needs  the  greatest 
emphasis  in  every  way  is  our  own  native  tongue,  which 
bears  within  it  the  vigor  of  the  Anglo-Saxon,  and  in  which 


Ten  hiaugural 

we  hear  the  march  of  the  empire-building  nations  as  they 
are  encircling  the  globe.  A  certain,  clear  knowledge  of 
English,  as  presupposed  in  the  common  standard  adopted  by 
the  Colleges  of  the  Middle  States,  should  be  a  main  require- 
ment of  entrance  into  a  college.  Deficiency  in  this  branch 
should  be  alone  enough  to  debar  from  advance  until  it  is 
met.  From  class  to  class  English  must  be  put  on  the  same 
level  with  those  branches  that  most  largely  determine  a 
student's  standing  ;  and  no  man  should  receive  a  diploma 
who  has  not  learned  to  use  our  common  tongue  clearly  and 
purely,  for  the  ultimate  test  of  real  culture  in  American  life 
is  and  will  be  the  possession  of  undefiled  English. 

To  attain  such  knowledge  the  philology  and  the 
history  of  the  English  language  are  not  sufficient.  The 
growing  mind  must  be  brought  to  drink  constantly  and 
deeply  out  of  the  broad  stream  of  literature  from  Chaucer 
to  Tennyson.  While  the  great  masters  of  perennial  thought, 
of  harmonious  and  finished  form  must  most  largely  stand 
before  the  student,  yet  he  should  know  and  form  his  style 
from  the  many  rather  than  the  few.  It  is  not  the  class- 
room work  only  which  ought  to  count,  but  an  additional 
course  of  reading  should  be  constantly  demanded,  and  the 
student  should  be  stimulated  to  undertake  reading  much  of 
which  will  be  a  delight  and  recreation.  The  test  of  all  this 
study,  the  possibility  of  its  application  and  influence,  must 
be  the  constant  and  continuous  writing  of  compositions  from 
Freshmen  to  Senior  year.  Writing  should  take  precedence 
of  rhetorical  exercises,  and  must  again  be  the  proving  of 
such  rhetorical  knowledge  and  such  literary  criticism  as  the 
course  can  give.  The  work  of  English  and  the  education  in 
it  demand  regard  in  every  branch  ;  especially  in  the  exactness 
of  translation  from  any  tongue,  the  purity  of  our  native 
tongue  must  not  be  made  to  suffer.  No  use  of  English 
anywhere  should  be  allowed,  which  injures  the  true  idiom. 
These  general  principles  need  special  application  in  Muhlen- 
berg College,  because  of  special  antecedents  and  difficulties. 
Every  endeavor  must  be  made  that  in  English  speech  and 
writing  the  graduates  of  Muhlenberg  College  shall  more  and 


Ifiaugura/  Eleven 

more  take  equal  rank  with  men  coming  from  schools  that 
have  the  best  English  departments. 

The  great  glory  of  higher  education  is  that  it  lays  chief 
stress  upon  the  comparative  method  of  study.  It  makes 
philosophy  its  leading  discipline.  Behind  the  real  teaching 
of  every  branch  there  is  a  philosophy.  The  natural  sciences 
in  their  acceptance  of  evolution  have  a  philosophical  basis 
that  needs  examination.  Language,  history  and  the 
problems  of  Biblical  science  rest  upon  philosophical  founda- 
tions. The  present  attitude  of  thought,  the  spirit  of  the  age, 
is  colored  by  a  philosophy.  To  know  such  philosophy  and 
to  be  able  to  detect  its  strength  and  weakness  makes  in- 
dependent men  and  living  teachers.  Liberal  culture  ought 
not  only  lead  men  to  weigh  the  general  laws  of  thinking,  to 
study  the  reality  of  thought  in  the  human  soul  as  related  to 
the  body,  but  also  to  understand  the  great  philosophic  ques- 
tions as  they  have  grown  in  history. 

With  this  general  philosophic  study  which  produces 
clear  and  fundamental  thought  there  should  be  combined 
an  ethical  study  which  formulates  the  ethical  trend  of  all 
thorough  higher  education.  In  this  age  of  ethical  emphasis 
we  need  a  knowledge  of  the  influence  and  insufficiency  of 
utilitarian  and  rationalistic  morality.  With  these  tendencies 
students  should  learn  to  compare  the  separate  fruits  of 
Christianity  to  enable  them  in  the  stress  of  great  problems 
to  keep  their  moral  balance.  Christian  ethics  is,  at  the  pre- 
sent, best  approached  through  contrast  with  the  other 
systems.  The  final  impressions  of  Christian  morality  dare, 
however,  not  remain  a  mere  intellectual  matter;  but  morality 
must  receive  its  power  through  the  harmony  of  ethical 
Christian  life  in  all  activities  of  the  College,  particularly 
those  that  are  representative. 

The  final  effectiveness  of  moral  life  rests  upon  the 
Christian  character  of  a  college.  This  Christian  character 
ought  not  be  simply  an  atmosphere,  but  also  an  actual 
result  of  definite  teaching.  The  older  colleges  tried  to 
counteract  and  correct  the  defective  moral  tone  of  classic 
literature  by  religious  teaching  which  emphasized  the  divine 


Twelve  Inaugural 

government,  the  dignity  of  the  human  soul,  the  reality  of 
God,  and  the  supremacy  of  Christianity.  Knowledge  was 
sweetened  by  reverence  and  quickened  to  nobler  self-sacrific- 
ing achievements.  The  modern  colleges  except  those  that 
are  denominational  and  sometimes  even  these,  have  aband- 
oned direct  religious  teaching,  or  so  liberalized  it  as  to  make 
it  indefinite  and  ineffective.  The  general  spirit  of  morality 
is  not  proving  sufficient  to  retain  reverence  and  to  create  the 
highest  type  of  manhood.  There  exists  at  the  present  a 
self-conscious  individualism  which,  unless  influenced  by 
other  agencies,  does  not  overcome  doubt,  but  rests  often 
with  pride  in  negations.  The  student  of  the  older  college 
had  his  struggles,  but  received  real  effective  help  from  the 
College  in  gaining  the  victory.  To-day  religion  is  too  much 
corrected  for  the  student  by  science,  and  not  vScience  sub- 
dued by  religion.  For  this  reason,  when  the  Church 
educates  it  must  produce  results  which  shall  correct  the 
neglect  of  the  prevalent  attitude  toward  religion.  Yet  the 
religious  education  dare  not  be  wrong  in  method  and  out  of 
relation  to  the  thinking  of  a  student.  It  should  grow  out 
of  the  Bible  as  this  is  practically  studied.  In  the  beauty  of 
the  thoughts  of  the  Bible  as  literature  and  in  its  history,  as 
in  vessels  of  silver,  the  golden  apples  of  living  revelation 
must  be  presented.  There  is  needed  a  true  constructive 
study  of  the  Bible  to  influence  religious  thinking  and  living 
anew. 

The  denominational  college  can  also  add  such  interpreta- 
tions of  its  seperate  confession  as  is  wise.  But  this  dare  not 
be  done  in  a  narrow  way  nor  out  of  harmony  with  general 
culture,  if  it  shall  not  be  more  harmful  than  helpful. 
Growing  out  of  such  teaching  the  true  religious  and  moral 
life,  influencing  the  whole  tone  of  the  Christian  College, 
should  be  in  every  way  superior.  If  the  Christian  College 
fosters  no  higher  life,  no  more  definite  Christian  manhood 
than  the  general  College,  it  has  lost  its  savor  and  is  a  dis- 
honor to  the  Church  and  Christ. 

In  the  attempt  in  some  small  measure  to  realize  these 
ideals  and  their  harmony  there  is  need   of   self-sacrificing 


Jnaui^ural  T/iiriren 

men.  Much  praise  is  due  to  those  who  have  labored  in  the 
past.  The  present  and  future  call  for  more  labor,  more 
sacrifice,  more  men  of  the  highest  intellectuality  and  of  the 
best  teachin^^  ability,  who  are  willing  to  serve,  not  for  filthy 
lucre  but  for  Christ  and  the  Church,  in  the  Church's  insti- 
tutions. The  Church  must  take  its  young  men,  educate 
and  retain  them.  It  must  show  them  in  contrast  with 
human  glory  the  better  choice  of  Christian  service,  in  which 
they  can  impress  Christian  ideals  upon  the  generations  to 
come. 

To  accomplish  this  aim  and  to  partially  fulfil  hopes 
entertained,  the  fullest  co-operation  of  the  churches  of  the 
Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania  is  necessary.  If  they  will  rise 
to  their  present  opportunity  and  put  Muhlenberg  College  on 
such  a  basis  that  it  can  be  true  to  its  present  mission,  then 
the  future  will  be  rich  in  promise.  Let  it  be  understood 
that  this  presidency  will  not  be  judged  for  failures  which 
must  come  where  equipment  is  lacking. 

In  other  respects  I  court  the  most  free  criticism  from 
those  that  are  able  to  judge.  Constant  criticism  is  the 
necessity  of  living  and  advancing  education.  And  it  is  time 
that  sensitiveness  on  this  point  should  cease  in  the  Church. 
It  is  eminently  proper  that  when  criticism  rightly  calls  for 
radical  change  this  change  should  be  wisely  made.  True 
growth  at  times  needs  acceleration.  No  favor  of  persons 
and  no  respect  of  men  ought  here  to  interfere.  But  true 
criticism  must  be  friendly,  fair  and  just,  and  not  the  idle 
gossip  of  those  who  little  appreciate  the  difficulties  and  are 
less  able  to  suggest  the  real  cure.  It  must  not  be  pro- 
claimed from  the  housetops  and  injure  what  is  good, 
estrange  sympathy  and  hinder  support,  but  be  judiciously 
directed  to  aid  in  better  construction. 

With  such  purposes  I  am  willing  to  enter  upon  my 
work,  realizing  that  wisdom  must  come  from  on  High  if 
human  thought  is  to  help  and  human  endeavor  to  succeed. 
As  long  as  I  recognize  that  the  harmony  which  now  prevails 
and  the  best  sentiment  of  the  Church  will  support  my 
policy,    so    long   will    I    work.     If,    however,    the   Church 


Fourteen  Inaugural 

hampers  true  advance,  or  if  ever  my  policy  should  seem  dis- 
advantageous, then  it  is  time  for  this  presidency  to  cease. 
Leadership  in  the  institutions  of  the  Church,  which  is  built 
simply  on  sentiment  of  past  efiSciency,  on  respect  and  piety 
for  things  long  ago  accomplished,  and  not  on  present  work 
and  advance  is  a  wrong  to  education  and  to  the  highest  in- 
terests of  the  Church.  The  laborers  deserve  their  rest  in 
due  time,  but  such  rest  ought  not  to  be  taken  in  a  profes- 
sorial chair. 

With  such  determination,  then,  to  serve  all,  but  inde- 
pendent in  subjection  to  high  ideals  of  service,  this  pres- 
idency will  seek  with  God's  help  to  stand  for  the  best,  the 
noblest,  the  truest  in  thought  and  character,  for  growth 
in  every  grace,  for  vital  Christianity  and  that  conservative 
lyUtheranism  which  is  most  earnestly  progressive,  real  and 
active  ;  which  by  the  wide  culture  of  personality  seeks  to 
form  men  of  God,  as  free  as  they  are  loveable,  as  strong  as 
they  are  gentle,  to  be  true  to  every  trust  in  time,  but  above 
all  true  to  the  great  final  aim  of  the  soul.  For  that  the  soul 
shall  live  is  the  end-all  and  be-all.  But  the  soul  shall  live 
by  growing  up  into  its  eternal  source.  Well  may  we,  then, 
in  conclusion,  adopt  the  words  of  Browning,  the  poet  of 
hope,  when  he  vsays  : 

"  What  is  left  for  us,  save,  in  growth 
Of  soul  to  rise  up, 
From  the  gift  looking  to  the  Giver, 
And  from  the  cistern  to  the  river, 
And  from  the  finite  to  infinity, 
And  from  man's  dust  to  God's  Divinity." 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLIN0I8-URBANA 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLIN0I9-URBANA 


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